Ore concentration.



H. H. GREBNWAY 8: H. LAVERS,

ORE CONCENTRATION.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 17, 1910.

. 1,064,723, Patented June 17, 1913.

HEN s'rn HENRY HOWARD GREENWAY, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AND HENRYLAVERS, OF

BROKEN HILL, NEW SOUTH WALES. AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNORS TO MINERALS SEPA-RATION LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ORE CONCENTRATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 17, 1913.

Application filed October 17, 1910. Serial No. 587,621.

Commonwealth of Australia, have invented new and useful Improvements inOre Concentration, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ore concentration and has forits object the separation of certain constituents of an ore, such asmetallic sulfids -from other constituents such as gangue when the ore issuspended in a liquid such as water.

According to this invention the crushed ore is introduced into water towhich is added a very small quantity of an essential oil, and themixture is thoroughly agitated. The ore particles are thus or thereaftercaused to come into contact with a gas such as air: the result is thatmetallic sulfid particles float to the surface in the form of a froth orscum and can thereafter be separated by any well known means. Among theessential oils, which we have found suitable for this purpose are theessential oils of eucalyptus, cinnamon, thyme, SflSSflfIfiS, pennyroyal,peppermint, cloves, lavender, sandalwood, Wintergreen and rosemary, ormixtures of these, but we do not confine ourselves to these essentialoils.

\Ve have hereinafter, in the broader claims, designated a suitableessential oil for this process as a froth producing essential oil.

The following is an example of one method of carrying this inventioninto eifect:

lVatercontaining a small percent-age of sulfuric acid in solution, sayfrom 0.1% to 0.5%, and containing also a small quantity say 0.4 lbsato2.25 lbs. per ton of ore to be treated of an essential oil such aseucalyptus oil is with finely pulverized ore introduced into anagitating apparatus in the proportion of from three to five parts byweight of water to one part by weight of ore. The

agitation is carried out in such a way as thoroughly to disseminate airthrough the' mixture which is thereafter discharged into a spitzkasten.It is found that a froth floats on the surface of the water in thespit-zkasten. This froth contains a large proportion of the metallicsulfids but is substantially free from gangue. Any well known means maybe employed for collecting the froth.

If desired the resulting tailings can be retreated by the same processwith or without the addition of fresh quantities of the substancesreferred to.

The action may be in some instances be improved by heating the mixtureand in some instances, as in the concentration of copper pyrites, theoperation may be conducted without the addition of acid.

To graphically illustrate one way of practicing the present invention,there has been shown in the accompanying drawings a perspective view ofone form of apparatus, parts being broken away to disclose the interiorconstruction.

Several agitation vessels A are placed in series. These may convenientlybe large vats separated by partitions A having openings A at the bottomso that the liquid may pass from one to another. Each vessel is providedwith a rotatable stirrer B which is conveniently of the formshown in thedrawing. Each stirrer is carried on a spindle B rotated at a high speedby any convenient means. Crushed ore or similar finely divided mineralis fed into the first vessel A through any convenient ore-feeding devicesuch as C, and water is also fed into the vessel A. A small proportionof one or more essential oils which enable metallic sulfidsto be floatedby air under the conditions specified may be-introduced from the feedingvessels D and The liquid containing ore in suspension is vigorouslyagitated in the agitation vessels and escapes at the outlet A highlycharged with air.

A settling apparatus consisting of one or more spitzkasten F, is placedimmediately at the outlet from the agitation apparatus. As shown in thedrawing, the spitzkasten F has a launder G to receive the floating frothwhich passes away through the outlet G The liquid and the sunkenmaterial pass out through the outlet H at the bottom of the spitzkasten.The level of the liquid in the spitzkasten is slightly above the lip J.Within the spitzkasten is placed an inclined baffle or guide plate K,which may be made adjustable, extending upward from below the inlet Aand arranged Y to direct the stream of ore particles and air-bubblestoward the surface of the liquid in the spitzkasten.

We claim:

1. The herein described process of concenr trating ores, which consistsin mixing finely divided ore with water containing a frothproducingessential oil, agitating the mixture to form a froth, and separating thefroth.

2. The herein described process of concentrating ores, which consists inmixing finely divided ore with water containing a small quantity of afroth-producing essential oil, agitating the mixture to form a froth,and separating the froth.

3. The herein described process of concentrating ores which consists inmixing finely divided ores with Water containing a frothproducingessential oil, heating the mixture, agitating the heated mixture to forma froth, and separating the froth.

4. The herein described process of concentrating ores, which consists inmixing finely divided ores with water containing eucalyptus oil,agitating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

5. The herein described process of concentrating ores, which consists inmixing finely divided ores with water containing a small quantity ofeucalyptus oil, agitating the mixture to form a froth, and separatingthe froth.

6. The'herein described process of concentrating ores, which consists inmixing finely divided ore with water containing eucalyptus oil, heatingthe mixture, agitating the heated mixture to form a froth, andseparating the froth.

7. The herein-described process of concentrating ores, which consists inmixing the ore in a finely divided condition with water and afroth-producing essential oil, the latter in the proportion of less thanone-fifth of one per centum of the ore, agitating the mixture to form afroth and separating the froth. 1

8. The herein-described process of concentrating ores, which consists inmixing the ore in a finely divided condition with water and eucalyptusoil, the latter in the proportion of from 02% to .1% of the ore,agitating the mixture to form a froth and separating the froth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification. inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY HOWARD GREENVVAY.

\Vitnesses CHARLES NICHOLAS CoLLisoN, VV. H. CUBLEY.

HENRY LAVERS.

Witnesses:

THOS. RoUNswELL, EDW. PovEY.-

